“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”

-Matthew 23:33, NIV

Before my divorce, I did not truly believe in the existence of such a “brood of vipers” as Jesus calls some religious leaders.

Theoretically, I understood some people were or are awful. Of course, I understood that Hitler was evil. What I did NOT believe was that “ordinary” people could be counted in this column.

One of the biggest learning curves for me was discovering the world of psychopaths and sociopaths. I read the classic book on the topic: The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D. It opened my eyes.

These people DO exist.

Some people will choose sin (and Satan) over godliness while speaking as if they are honoring God. Jesus saw this and named it in His day. It is still true to this day.

We would be wise to learn from Jesus and understand such people DO exist. They may even be close to us, sadly.